Round 1

Before you see these pictures, I must give a disclaimer.
This is the first cake I have ever attempted that was to be as much visually admired as eaten.
The purpose of this round was to figure out how to smooth the frosting.
Even though it didn't come out perfectly, I did figure out the secret.
Lots and lots of frosting!!!!!
I think the top of the cake turned out well... the sides were still really lumpy. Really they just needed tons more frosting. And I need to not spread out the filling so much in between the layers since the weight of the top layer will push it out further than I spread it.
Oh, and I need to scrape off excess from the sides before I try to smooth it.

I also added a dotted pattern to the sides the next day... however I didn't take any pictures of that because I don't want Julie to get worried. ;-)
I think it's going to turn out really well!

I would also like to get some of that pearl dust stuff to give it a nice bridal sheen.... yum!




Anyway, here is the semi-finished product of Round 1:

Yes, that cake is definitely slanted. I think the oven racks tilt back. Actually I'm positive they do because I had my landlord test it with a level. Oh well. We are actually going back to 8" so it shouldn't make as much of a difference.

That is a dang smooth cake top. This is buttercream, people! Buttercream!



And here are the process pictures so you can see what an idiot I am.


First step, mix a yellow batter.



This is when I saw how low the level of batter was in that huge pan (I've only used 8" & 9" before) so... naturally I decided it needed TWO mixes!


Big mistake.

Way too much. I tried to take a lot of it out.


Put it in the oven eventually, still with too much batter but I figured it would be okay. I guess I forgot that cakes rise.


Made cupcakes with the extra batter. Yum! I kind of prefer them without frosting. Is that weird?


Yeah. This is what two different batters in the same pan turns into when it's too small and they are completely different batters! It was totally soupy on the inside. Last time I tried to bake something like this anyway, my oven caught on fire. Thank you, Martha Stewart, for your horrible ingredient proportions for fluffy white cake. More like fluffy white pillars of smoke. Except they were black. Boo.


Round 1B. Two layers of funfetti cake. Six eggs, two mixes, 2.5 c of water, 2/3 c of veggie oil.



And there is that slanted layer. Weird. Both of them came out like that.




So sometime this next week (probably it will wait until the weekend though) I'll make a three layer 8" cake... with a huge load of frosting. I think I had enough on the top but the sides were definitely too bare. I also want to get the dotted pattern down. I'll probably have to bust out a tape measure.

Julie, thoughts on a shimmer dust for the cake? Are you okay with the creamy color or did you want a white icing?


Also, does anybody know what I can add to the mix to make it more moist? It wasn't dry at all but I just love moist cake. Yummy.